Understanding .net Domain Names: Origin, Uses, and Benefits

.net is one of the many top-level domain names (TLDs) that you can choose when setting up a new website. It’s seen by many as one of the leading alternatives or backups to .com, ideal for when .com addresses aren’t available, or if you want to save a little cash on your domain registration.

But are there any cases where .net is actually the best choice for a new site? This guide digs into the origins and history of .net, exploring its pros and cons, and setting out some examples of when it’s a great TLD to choose.

What Is .net?

.net is one of the many generic TLDs, or gTLDs, available for public use when creating new websites. Other examples of gTLDs include .com, .edu, and .org. All three of those, along with .net, were released as part of the original big batch of TLDs to hit the internet, way back in the mid-1980s.

Back then, .net was designed primarily for use among businesses and organizations involved with networking or network technology, “net” being short for “network”. However, over time, many different types of businesses and individuals have opted for the .net TLD for their sites.

As a result, .net is now in the top 10 most used TLDs worldwide. It’s nowhere near as widespread as .com, which is used on almost half of all websites, but it’s still a very popular choice.

Who Is .net For?

As touched on above, .net sites were originally intended for sites involved with networking, but that’s not the case anymore. There aren’t any restrictions in terms of who can set up a .net site, and a wide variety of.net sites with different purposes exist, including brand websites, forums, online stores, and more.

That said, even though it’s available to everyone, .net still has strong associations with the tech industry. Many of the biggest and best-known .net sites tend to offer some sort of tech services or orient themselves around tech in some way.

So, if you’re setting up a tech startup, running a software community, or creating a web-based app, a .net TLD might be perfect for you. It also works well for online communities, and for portfolio or personal brand sites.

The Pros and Cons of .net

Next, let’s examine the pros and cons of .net addresses, to help you determine if it’s the right TLD for you.

Pros

• Trusted and established: As mentioned earlier, .net has been around since the 80s. It was one of the original TLDs, and as such, it has considerable appeal and is recognized all over the world. People also generally view .net sites as trustworthy.
• Available and affordable: .net is popular, but the internet isn’t saturated with .net sites to the same extent as it is with .com sites. That means it’s usually easier to get the .net name you want, and you won’t necessarily have to spend a fortune on it, either.
• A versatile choice: Like .com and other generic TLDs, .net is really versatile. It has tech associations, but can work well for almost any type of website. Plus, it has global appeal, and isn’t restricted to just one country or region in the same way as ccTLDs and GeoTLDs (like .uk or .miami) are.

Cons

• Often seen as second best to .com: For all its benefits, .net is still not seen quite as favorably as .com. Many people view .com as the de facto TLD of choice, which makes .com almost always the right option for building online brands with global appeal.
• Links to tech: The aforementioned tech industry associations mean that if you’re setting up a site that isn’t tech-related with a .net TLD, it can seem slightly out of place.

Is .net Right for Your New Site?

All in all, there’s much to like about the .net TLD, and good reasons to opt for .net domain name registration for your new site. If your ideal domain name with .com is taken, you might find that the .net address is still available and fits within your budget. So, it’s worth considering .net whenever you create a new site, especially if you’re looking for something outside the .com box.